Green Bay - They've dealt with the "Fail Mary" play. Their star quarterback undressed one of his receivers on national television. Then the agent for the team's top tight end ripped the quarterback on Twitter.

Most importantly, the Green Bay Packers had as many losses through three games as they did in 17 outings a season ago.

"It's probably not going to be like last year," Packer defensive end Ryan Pickett said. "It's a battle, man."

Boy, is it ever.

The Green Bay Packers hit the quarter point of their season Sunday with a thrilling, 28-27 come-from-behind win over New Orleans. And while the Packers improved to 2-2, they also realize things won't be as easy as the 15-2 season of 2011-'12.

"Every season is going to present different challenges and a different path," Bulaga said. "And we've clearly seen that this year, that it's going to be a different type of year."

With 25% of the season complete, it's a perfect time to examine where these Packers have been and where they might be headed. Here's a look:

Nothing easy: Green Bay's 15 wins last season came by an average of 13.6 points. The Packers trailed in the fourth quarter just once, their 19-14 loss at Kansas City.

This season, the Packers have trailed in the fourth quarter in three of their four outings. Green Bay's average margin of victory has been 5.0 points. And the Packers needed a late rally Sunday to avoid their first 1-3 start in six years.

"It's early," tight end Tom Crabtree said. "We're trying not to jump to any conclusions. But there's definitely some things you look at and some trends that pop up that can kind of tell you some things. Right now, though, it looks like we might be in a lot more close games."

Offense: Green Bay's 28 points Sunday was a season high, which is certainly encouraging. But a season ago, the Packers eclipsed 28 points in 11 of their 16 games and scored the second-most points in NFL history (560).

"I think we're molding as an offense right now," right guard Josh Sitton said. "We're a completely different team than last year. We've just got to find out who we are. We did a little bit (Sunday)"

Aaron Rodgers was back to form Sunday. Rodgers threw four touchdown passes and had a season-best passer rating of 119.9.

In Green Bay's first three games, Rodgers had three TDs, two interceptions and an 87.0 passer rating.

Cedric Benson has given life to a moribund ground game, but overall, the Packers have plummeted from No. 3 to No. 20 in total offense.

Opponents also have done a terrific job limiting the big play. For the most part, foes have played two safeties deep, roughed up the Packer receivers at the line of scrimmage, and forced Green Bay to put together long, time-consuming drives.

Sunday's game was definitely a sign of progress, but the Packers know they must build on it.

"Once we get the chemistry going and get 12 (Rodgers) going, it's nice," tight end Jermichael Finley said. "Once you get the Green Bay Packers offense going, look out."

Defense: General manager Ted Thompson used his first six draft picks on this side of the ball and even used free agency. It seems to have helped immensely.

In 2011-'12, the Packers were 32nd in total defense, had the worst passing defense in the history of football (299.8) and wilted in the postseason. Now, Green Bay ranks 10th in total defense and is No. 6 against the pass.

"We have to form our own identity," safety Morgan Burnett said. "We can't base it off the 2010 Super Bowl team or the 15-1 team. We just have to build our own identity throughout the course of this NFL season.

"Your identity just plays itself out. You just find a way to get a win by any means."

It's certainly concerning that New Orleans' Drew Brees erupted for 446 passing yards and three touchdown passes Sunday. The Packers also sacked Brees just twice in 54 passing attempts.

But when the defense needed to come up big in the fourth quarter, it did. First, it forced a three-and-out while trailing, 27-21. Later, the defense forced a long field goal that Saints kicker Garrett Hartley missed wide left.

"We made the stops when we needed to," outside linebacker Clay Matthews said. "It seemed like at times they were moving the ball well, especially on third down.

"We need to do a better job getting off the field, but ultimately we came up with the stops when we needed to."

Overall, the influx of youngsters such as Jerron McMillian, Casey Hayward and Nick Perry have provided a lift. And the Packers believe their young defense will be much better in December than it is now.

Pickett and the rest of the Packers admit these nail-biters are tougher to take than last year's cakewalks.

But they also know the rest of the league may have closed the gap.

"We hope there's some games like last year," Pickett said. "But maybe that's not the kind of year we're looking at. We'll have to see. Right now, we're just going through the fire, but we're going to come out stronger."